Liquid filtering apparatus

Claim 2

A liquid-filtering device comprising, in combination: a filtering section including a plurality of separable plates forming liquid containers, each said pair having an inlet and an outlet; inlet manifold means connecting the inlets and outlet manifold means connecting the outlets of said containers; a pump connected to said inlet manifold means for delivering liquid thereto for being filtered; conduit means connecting said inlet manifold means for removing filtered liquid from the containers; a filter media supply means on one side of said filtering section including a plurality of rolls of sheet-type filter media of equal width, a separate sheet of filter media from each said roll extending between a pair of said separable plates; a filter sheet advancinG means on the other side of said filtering section from said supply means and comprising a frame; a plurality of vertically spaced-apart filter sheet supports on said frame having a plurality of spaced apart slots; and means adjacent each support for extending through said slots and engaging the filter media to move it linearly and simultaneously pull all of said sheets of filter media between said pairs of plates when they are separated, thereby causing unused filter media to unwind from said rolls and move between the pairs of plates.

Claim 3

A liquid filtering device comprising, in combination: a filtering section including a plurality of separable plates forming liquid containers, each said pair having an inlet and an outlet; inlet manifold means connecting the inlets and outlet manifold means connecting the outlets of said containers; a pump connected to said inlet manifold means for delivering liquid thereto for being filtered; conduit means connecting said outlet manifold means for removing filtered liquid from the containers; a filter media supply means on one side of said filtering section including a plurality of rolls of sheet-type filter media of equal width, a separate sheet of filter media from each said roll extending between a pair of said separable plates; a filter sheet advancing means on the other side of said filtering section from said supply means and comprising a frame; a plurality of vertically spaced-apart shelves supported by said frame and having a plurality of spaced-apart slots; means above each shelf for supporting a plurality of pins; driving means for moving said latter means in a continuously repeating path that forces said pins downwardly between said slots of each shelf then forwardly, then upwardly out of said slots and then backwardly to a starting point before repeating the cycle, whereby said pins penetrate used filter media on said shelf and pull it forwardly while engaged therewith and then retract from the media and move backwardly over it before re-entering the media for another pulling cycle.

Claim 4

A liquid filtering device comprising, in combination: a filtering section including a plurality of separable plates forming liquid containers, each said pair having an inlet and an outlet; inlet manifold means connecting the inlets and outlet manifold means connecting the outlets of said containers; a pump connected to said inlet manifold means for delivering liquid thereto for being filtered; conduit means connecting said outlet manifold means for removing filtered liquid from the containers; a filter media supply means on one side of said filtering section including a plurality of rolls of sheet-type filter media of equal width, a separate sheet of filter media from each said roll extending between a pair of said separable plates; a filter sheet advancing means on the other side of said filtering section from said supply means and comprising a frame; a plurality of vertically spaced-apart shelves supported by said frame and having a plurality of spaced-apart slots; means above each shelf for supporting a plurality of pins; driving means for moving said latter means in a continuously repeating path that forces said pins downwardly between said slots of each shelf then forwardly, then upwardly out of said slots and then backwardly to a starting point before repeating the cycle, whereby said pins penetrate used filter media on said shelf and pull it forwardly while engaged therewith and then retract from the media and move backwardly over it before re-entering the media for another pulling cycle.

Claim 5

The filtering device of claim 2 wherein said means for supporting said pins comprises a transverse mounting bar for each said shelf, said pins being spaced apart on said bar at the same distance apart as said shelf slots.

Claim 6

The filtering device of claim 3 wherein said driving means comprises a first pair of spaced-apart endless chains, each mounted on sprockets supported at the upper end of said frame; a second pair of endless spaced-apart chains identical to said first chains and mounted on sprockets supported on the lower end of said frame, a pair of movable side members each pivotally connected at its ends to one each of said first and second chains; and means for driving said chains at a constant rate, whereby said side members are caused to be moved forwardly and then up as said chains pass around their sprockets, and then backwardly again before moving downwardly so that said pins will reengage the sheets of filter media.

Claim 7

The filtering device of claim 3 wherein each of said pins have a shank which is tapered to a point at its outer end, at least some of said pins including a coil spring attached to its shank and extending to its outer end for removing the sheet of filter media from the pin as it is retracted from the sheet.

Claim 8

The filtering device of claim 3 including control means for said driving means comprising a manually operated stop switch and a second override switch in parallel with said stop switch and operable to open and stop said driving means when said pins are in a sheet-engaging position.

Claim 9

The filtering device of claim 3 wherein said driving means comprises a pair of movable side members, said transverse mounting bars being attached to said side members, a first linear actuator means for moving said side members and thus said mounting bars and their pins horizontally, a second linear actuator means for moving said side members vertically, and valve means for controlling both said actuator means to cause said side members to travel in a substantially rectangular continuous path.

Claim 10

The filtering device of claim 3 including means on said sheet advancing means for maintaining the sheets being advanced in alignment with the longitudinal centerline of said filtering section and thus in a fluid-sealing position between their respective pairs of separable plates.

Claim 11

The filtering device of claim 8 wherein said latter means comprises means for pivoting said frame of said filter sheet advancing means about a vertical axis spaced from said filter section; sensor means for providing a response to a variance in alignment of the filter media sheets with the longitudinal centerline of said filter section; and power means controlled by said sensor means for moving said frame of said sheet advancing means about said vertical axis.

Claim 12

In combination with a liquid-filtering device comprising a plurality of plates which, when placed together, form liquid containers, means for moving said plates together for retaining elongated sheets of filter media between adjacent plates thereby forming a pair of fluidtight chambers on opposite sides of each sheet, there being an inlet to one chamber and an outlet to the opposite chamber on the other side of the sheet, and means for separating the plates when the sheets of filter media are contaminated, a sheet advancing means adjacent the filtering device comprising: means for simultaneously penetrating all of said sheets of filter media that extend from between said plates when they are separated and for pulling said sheets of filter media longitudinally to remove them from between the plates, said latter means including a plurality of pin members and driving means for moving said pin members vertically downwardly at a starting location to engage the sheets, then forwardly to pull the sheets, then upwardly to retract from the sheets, and then rearwardly to the starting location.

Claim 13

In combination with a liquid-filtering device comprising a plurality of plates which, when placed together, form liquid containers, means for moving said plates together for retaining elongated sheets of filter media between adjacent plates thereby forming a pair of fluidtight chambers on opposite sides of each sheet, there being an inlet to one chamber and an outlet to the opposite chamber on the other side of the sheet, and means for separating the plates when the sheets of filter media are contaminated, a sheet advancing means adjacent the filtering device comprising: means for simultaneously penetrating all of said sheets of filter media that extend from between said plates when they are separated and for pulling said sheets of filter media longitudinally to remove them from between the plates, said latter means including a plurality of pin members and driving means for moving said pin members vertically downwardly at a starting location to engage the sheets, then forwardly to pull the sheets, then upwardly to retract from the sheets, and then rearwardly to the starting location.

Claim 14

The sheet advancing means as described in claim 10 including: a frame; a plurality of vertically spaced-apart shelves supported by said frame, each said shelf being comprised of a series of spaced-apart members separated by longitudinal openings; transverse means above each shelf for supporting a plurality of said pin members; said driving means being operative for moving said bar means in a continuously repeating path that forces said pins downwardly between said slots of each shelf then forwardly, then upwardly out of said slots and then backwardly to a starting point before repeating the cycle, whereby said pins penetrate used filter media on said shelf and pull it forwardly while engaged therewith and then retract from the media and move backwardly over it before reentering the media for another pulling cycle.

Claim 15

The filter media sheet-advancing means of claim 10 wherein said driving means comprises a pair of movable side members, a plurality of transverse mounting bars attached to said side members, said pin members being fixed to said bars, a first actuator means for moving said side members and thus said mounting bars and their pins horizontally, a second actuator means for moving said side members vertically, and valve means for controlling both said actuator means to cause said side members to travel in a substantially rectangular continuous path, thereby pulling the filter sheets forwardly in increments.

Claim 16

The sheet-advancing means of claim 10 wherein said driving means comprises a first pair of spaced-apart endless chains, each mounted on sprockets supported at the upper end of said frame; a second pair of endless spaced-apart chains mounted on sprockets supported on the lower end of said frame, a pair of movable side members each pivotally connected to one each of said first and second chains; and means for driving said chains at a constant rate, whereby said side members are caused to be moved forwardly and then up as said chains pass around their sproCkets, and then backwardly again before moving downwardly so that said pins will reengage the sheets of filter media.

Claim 17

The sheet-advancing means of claim 10 including means on said sheet-advancing means for maintaining the sheets being advanced in alignment with the longitudinal centerline of said filtering section and thus in a fluid-sealing position between their respective pairs of separable plates.

Claim 18

The sheet-advancing means of claim 10 including control means for said driving means comprising a manually operated stop switch and a second override switch in parallel with said stop switch and operable to open and stop said driving means when said pins are in the sheet-engaging position.

Claim 19

The sheet advancing means of claim 15 wherein said latter means comprises means for pivoting said driving means about a vertical axis; sensor means responsive to a lateral variance in alignment of at least one filter media sheet with a predetermined direction; and power means controlled by said sensor means for moving said frame of said sheet advancing means about said vertical axis.